A Belfast-based broadband provider has signed a new wholesale deal with BT for calls and managed broadband services.

Rainbow Communications will be able to offer its customers a range of services including next generation cloud services and Voice over IP (VoIP) thanks to the deal with BT Ireland.

Eric Carson, director of Rainbow Communications, said: “Rainbow is committed to delivering a quality and reliable service to our customers.

“This new agreement with BT Wholesale, for the supply of calls and managed broadband including superfast broadband services, will ensure that our customers continue to receive the quality service they expect, whilst enabling them to access the latest cloud technologies.”

Frank McManus, head of wholesale sales and services, BT Ireland, added: “We are delighted to be Rainbow's supplier of choice to enable it to offer its customers state of the art solutions today that will change the way they work and behave tomorrow.

“Next generation cloud services, Voice over IP and hosted applications are just a few of the solutions Rainbow can offer its customers through these services, all underpinned by Northern Ireland's extensive fibre broadband network.”

Ofcom’s latest Communication Market Report found that Northern Ireland has the highest proportion of premises able to access fibre broadband services.

41,652 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland have been reached by the UK government’s superfast broadband rollout, in addition to properties connected by commercial investment programmes.

'Community-led'

Rural communities are also benefitting from a £1m funding boost announced in June by Northern Ireland agriculture minister Michelle O’Neill.

Ms O’Neill said tackling isolation in rural areas is a priority and as of March 2015, her department had invested £7.5m in rural broadband.

“The initial part of this investment has already seen some 17,000 rural dwellers, farms and businesses getting access the internet, whilst the most recent phase of our funding will enable a further 14,000 rural people to get connected if they wish.”

Ms O’Neill said £1m from the Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) budget is being invested in facilitating access to broadband for rural communities.

“I also want to encourage all representatives of rural bodies and individuals interested in the development of their local community to be aware of the broadband scheme under Priority 6 of the new Rural Development Programme,” she added.

“We have allocated £2m to a Rural Broadband Scheme which will provide opportunities for innovative community-led wireless broadband solutions to enhance access to an improved broadband service in rural areas.”

Pictured are Frank McManus, head of wholesale sales and services, BT Ireland, with Eric Carson, director of Rainbow Communications.